UCC Peterborough: Inclusive Faith Branding & Website Redesign

Mockup showcasing the Union Congregational Church of Peterborough rebrand and website redesign. The image displays target audience research profiles, a tablet preview of the new website homepage with the inclusive tagline “A Church for All People – Where Faith Grows, Love Serves, and All Belong,” and the church’s rainbow-petal logo featuring a white steepled building. The layout highlights the research-driven, inclusive design process.

Union Congregational Church of Peterborough (UCCP) is a historic congregation known for its warmth, service, and joyful fellowship. When their leadership reached out through word of mouth, they wanted more than a new website, they wanted a digital home that felt as welcoming and inclusive as the people inside.

Their previous Wix site felt outdated, cluttered, and underused. Members rarely visited it, and newcomers found it hard to navigate. Even simple updates required outside help. The church needed a system that was approachable for volunteers, reflected its joyful spirit, and balanced tradition with fresh energy.

Screenshot of the former Union Congregational Church website. The layout features a photo of the church’s red brick building with white trim and colorful flowers, followed by a text block describing the church’s mission and welcome statement. The design uses a red and brown color palette with a simple navigation bar at the top.
Before		 Screenshot of the redesigned Union Congregational Church of Peterborough website. The updated homepage displays the new logo with a white church silhouette on a rainbow backdrop, a welcoming headline reading “A Church for All People – Where Faith Grows, Love Serves, and All Belong,” and a clean blue-and-white layout with modern typography and warm community photos.
After

Page showing the “Target Audience” profile for the Union Congregational Church redesign project. It highlights “Rooted Seekers,” a spiritually open, community-seeking demographic aged 45–70 with moderate tech adoption. The document outlines motivations, pain points, and engagement strategies alongside photos of diverse adults smiling and connecting in friendly conversation.Challenge

The project began with a listening phase. I met with the church council to present a proposal and gather input from multiple committees and perspectives. It was important to address the needs of all stakeholders, from long-time members who valued tradition to newer families drawn to the church’s lively, inclusive community.

A survey of the congregation helped define goals and audiences. The website needed to serve both church seekers and current members. It would become the “front door of the church on the internet,” inviting, easy to navigate, and genuinely reflective of who they are.

Approach

The redesign began with voice and tone analysis. I reviewed sermons, newsletters, and bulletins to understand how the church spoke to its community. The result was a brand voice that felt approachable, joyful, and grounded.

We also moved from Wix to WordPress to make editing simpler. Volunteers can now update pages easily, keeping the site current without technical barriers.

The visual direction focused on joy without excess brightness, a delicate balance between energy and reverence. I introduced warm photography featuring real church members, chosen for authenticity, inclusivity, and natural light.

Design System

With no existing logo, I created the church’s first visual identity, one that honors tradition while feeling fresh and personal.

Logo: The church silhouette became the centerpiece, instantly recognizable in Peterborough’s historic town center.
Color Palette: Rooted in the UCC national blues (Lapis Lazuli and Storm Blue) with warm, complementary tones like Soft Gold and Deep Burgundy for balance and approachability.
Typography: Cinzel for headings (traditional dignity), Raleway for digital body text (modern readability), and Garamond for print materials (classic warmth).
Photography: Warm, natural, candid images of the congregation: real people, real joy.

First round of logo concepts for Union Congregational Church of Peterborough, showing various faith-inspired designs including crosses, doves, hearts, bells, stained glass motifs, and stylized church outlines. The collection explores traditional and modern interpretations of Christian symbols in both abstract and literal forms. Second round of logo explorations for Union Congregational Church of Peterborough, refining concepts from stained glass and steeple motifs. Designs experiment with color palettes, circular emblems, and geometric backgrounds, highlighting the evolution toward the final rainbow-petal church silhouette logo. Final logo and header design for Union Congregational Church of Peterborough featuring a white church silhouette on a vibrant rainbow petal background beside large white “UCC” initials. The design conveys inclusion, faith, and joyful community within a contemporary visual identity.

Process

Screenshot of a Google Sheets document titled “Content Planner UCC.” The spreadsheet tracks content development for the Union Congregational Church website, including sections like Christian Education and Church Family Pages. Columns list tasks, content needs, status, lead, update frequency, and links, with one task marked “Live unedited.”

This project could have easily become “death by committee.” Instead, structure turned it into a collaboration.

  • Each committee meeting followed a clear agenda tied to the project scope.

  • I provided progress spreadsheets and shared documents so every stakeholder could track their tasks and content edits.

  • Church members drafted content in online word documents, which I edited and formatted for web publication.

  • Regular check-ins and phase approvals ensured progress without overwhelm.

The design process also had to move quickly, hosting was expiring, so timelines were accelerated without sacrificing quality.

Outcome

The final website reflects UCC Peterborough’s joyful spirit and open heart. Members immediately praised how warm and welcoming it felt, and new visitors found it much easier to explore worship times, livestreams, and community events.

The redesign also sparked internal growth: the church’s visioning committee used my audience demographics and survey findings to inform their long-term planning.

Most importantly, the project built connection. Every stakeholder felt heard, and the end result felt authentically theirs.

“Structure was the biggest part of this process. This could have been a project that felt death by committee, but clear systems gave everyone direction. And joy.”

Reflection

This project reminded me that inclusivity isn’t just about visuals, it’s about voice, process, and how people are invited in. By blending empathy, clarity, and collaboration, we created a digital space that truly feels like UCC Peterborough: a place where faith grows, love serves, and all belong.